


Nightmares and Cuddles

by Wheres_my_badger



Series: Found Family [8]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: But Not Much, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minho needs to be protected, Minho!centric, Scared Minho, and that's it, it's adorable, it's mostly the boys making sure Minho is taken care of, the others comfort him, the usual, there's a little minsung, they are all soft for each other, you guys already know how this goes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-23 23:40:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16169153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wheres_my_badger/pseuds/Wheres_my_badger
Summary: Minho has nightmares constantly, but he doesn't want to burden the others with his problems so he doesn't tell them. They find out anyways. Fluff ensues.





	Nightmares and Cuddles

**Author's Note:**

> Took me a while, but now I'm free from work!!!!!!! And I'll be able to put my writing schedule in order again!!!!!
> 
> The idea came from Lilmissrandom17 with some help from chilimilk and randvmfandoms, thanks guys ^.^
> 
> Anyways, hope you guys enjoy!

Minho didn’t like showing weakness. He had never liked it, refusing to let other people see him crying or to let people know when he was sad or upset. He felt like letting his feelings show burdened others and the last thing he wanted was to be a burden. And he was no different with the rest of Stray Kids. Or maybe he was, maybe it was worse than usual with them. Because it was already hard being the first one to be eliminated from the group – even if he was brought back later – and he was pretty sure showing how weak he was would do very little to help his image. He felt like even more of a burden to them.

So Minho didn’t like to show his sadness and problems. He was good at keeping tears in and smiling when all he wanted was to curl up against someone and cry. He had done it on the day he was eliminated, and then on the day he left the dorms. And many times since, including when he was put back in the group and noticed a little distance between him and the others which hadn’t been there before. Of course, that last one took about two days to be fixed, but still. Minho didn’t want to be a burden.

And that was the main reason he never told the others about his nightmares.

Minho had had problems with nightmares since he was a kid. When he was still young enough to be comforted by his parents through hugs, he used to climb on their bed, tears drying on his cheeks, and they would kiss and cuddle him and let him stay the night. Minho never had nightmares when he slept with them. He felt safe.

As he grew older, however, he started feeling embarrassed about going to them every other night, and started fending his nightmares off on his own. It wasn’t easy. Usually he just stayed awake for the remainder of the night or cuddled up with a soft blank he had from his early childhood to help himself calm down. And like that he took it, wondering if one day he would be able to sleep comfortably for more than two nights in a row.

As he moved in with the others, his problem wasn’t hard to hide. He often woke up sweating and panting, but his roommates slept like the dead, and no one really questioned him when they found him awake before anyone else. It wasn’t like it was a rare sight, after all. So it was easy enough to just not tell anyone about it and deal with his nightmares on his own, like he had been doing for ages.

They were stupid nightmares, to begin with. Things like being in a very high building or being chased by a monster. Minho felt like a little kid when he thought about how scared he always felt when he woke up from such silly dreams. He felt even more embarrassed when he couldn’t go back to sleep, because what the hell? He knew those things wouldn’t hurt him. Why couldn’t he just suck it up and go back to sleep? But he couldn’t. So instead, he wandered around and if someone asked why he looked tired on the following day he answered ‘insomnia’, because that sounded way more mature and adult-like than ‘nightmares’.

It was also easy to hide because Minho never really had nightmares when he was sleeping with someone else. Not once had he had a bad dream as he cuddled with Chan or held Jisung in his arms. It was as if they kept the nightmares away – like his parents used to –, and Minho knew he should probably be grateful for that, but thinking about it only made him feel embarrassed. Why? Because it was obvious that the reason for that was that Minho felt safe when there was someone with him. And what type of adult needs a cuddle-buddy to feel safe, for fucks sake? Minho hated that idea.

 

Of course, however, Minho’s secret didn’t stay a secret for long. It lasted quite long, actually, if he compared it to the other boys’ secrets, but not long enough for him. He wasn’t prepared to face it when someone found out about it.

He should have expected the nightmare, even though he had had one the night before, because they had spent the whole day rushing from place to place, practicing, presenting and having meetings. And their last meeting had been with JYP himself. Minho hated meeting JYP. He always felt small and fragile next to the man, and he hated feeling like that. So, needless to say, he was anxious. It also didn’t help that JYP’s office was at the very top of the building, the huge glass window behind him making Minho feel like throwing up.

As soon as they entered the room, Jisung had rushed to his side, holding his hand. Minho had blushed. The others knew about his fear of heights, although them finding out was an accident, and Minho was usually grateful for the way they took care of him when in situations in which he was scared. But not this time. Not when JYP was right there making Minho feel like a helpless little kid. He didn’t need Jisung holding his hand and making him feel even smaller and more useless. So he took his hand away. Jisung looked at him, surprised, but Minho just ignored him. They could talk about that later.

The meeting went well, all things considered, and once they were back on the ground, Minho felt stupid for his actions at the office. He didn’t apologize. He wasn’t good at that. But he did give Jisung a huge package of his favourite snack. The boy had beamed at him. Minho had felt the warmth spread on his chest at his boyfriend’s smile and he figured everything was fine.

He should have known better.

They stayed at a hotel that night, because their first schedule on the next day was extra early and far from their dorm. Minho roomed with Felix. He would have preferred Jisung, obviously, but Felix was a good roommate, too. He was quiet and sweet, and always made Minho feel comfortable. Yeah, Minho didn’t mind sharing with him.

 

Minho only noticed he was crying when a sob left his lips.

It was funny, he thought, that although he had nightmares so often he rarely dreamed of his elimination. He figured his body would already have given in if he dreamt about that often, because right at the moment, after waking up from one of those, he felt like burying himself under covers and never coming out.

A light was turned on. Minho flinched. He looked at his side, and his eyes widened as he saw Felix staring at him, seeming worried and scared. He looked away.

“Go back to sleep, Lix.”

He said. Instead, Minho heard steps approaching him, and then Felix was sitting on his bed.

“Hyung, what’s wrong?”

The boy sounded sleepy and worried. Minho shook his head.

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine.”

Felix frowned and Minho cursed himself for not managing to stop freaking crying.

“Hyung, did you have a nightmare? You were trashing around a lot...”

Minho looked away, refusing to look at Felix.

“Please, Lix.”

He said, voice trembling. He didn’t even know what he was asking for.

“Hyung, it’s ok. Everyone has nightmares.” Minho shook his head, and those stupid tears wouldn’t stop, why wouldn’t they stop? Felix sighed, and then slowly made his way onto Minho’s lap, wrapping himself around the older. “I’ll go back to sleep if you let me stay with you, hyung.”

He mumbled against Minho’s chest. That made Minho’s eyes widen and finally looked at the younger, only to get a face full of Felix’s soft hair. He didn’t know what to say. Felix had latched onto him, his warmth calming Minho down surprisingly fast. He felt his heartbeat slowing down and the tears drying on his cheeks, and suddenly he was drained, completely tired.

He slowly wrapped his arms around Felix. He sighed, resting his forehead on the boy’s shoulder.

“Go to sleep, Felix.” He mumbled. Felix hummed back. “I’m sorry for acting like a stupid little kid. I’m sorry I’m so weak.”

He said. He fell asleep before the younger.

 

Minho knew he wouldn’t escape a talk about the incident. But he hadn’t expected it to come like that.

They were having breakfast and Minho was avoiding Felix. He had woken up all tangled with the boy, and the embarrassment from the previous night had quickly set in, making Minho scramble up and away.

Felix hadn’t said anything after that, until he sat down between Chan and Changbin to eat, cuddling against his boyfriend.

“I had a nightmare last night.”

He said. Minho almost choked, looking up, shocked. Changbin was frowning, but it was Chan who spoke up.

“What about, Lix?”

The boy shrugged.

“Something about being chased by a monster, I don’t know. It was really scary. I couldn’t sleep after. But Minho hyung heard me and cuddled me until I fell asleep again.”

He finished with a smile. Everyone turned to Minho. He blushed.

“Uhn, I, yeah.”

He said, intelligently. What was Felix doing?

“Do you have nightmares often, Lix?”

Woojin asked. Felix shook his head, leaning more into Changbin as the older protectively stroked his hair.

“Not really. Would it be bad if I always had nightmares?”

The others chuckled a bit.

“Bad for you, probably. No one likes nightmares. But why do you ask?”

Answered Chan. Felix shrugged.

“Nothing. Sometimes I think having nightmares makes me weak.”

Minho couldn’t stop staring. Everyone’s reaction was immediate and the same. All of them frowned and Seungmin hit Felix. Changbin glared at the boy for hitting his boyfriend, and then turned his glare to Felix for talking like that about himself, and in any other situation Minho would have laughed.

“Yah, Lix, why would you think that?”

Asked Seungmin. Felix shrugged.

“Don’t know. Only little kids have nightmares.”

He said. For a second, Minho blushed, taking that as confirmation of what he thought. Then he remembered who, exactly, was at the table, and he immediately noticed how stupid he had been.

Hyunjin was the first to cross his arms, seeming annoyed. Jisung was next, pouting, and then everyone was staring a Felix, frowns in place.

“Are you serious here, Lix?”

Asked Hyunjin, and Minho could only watch as Felix smiled slightly.

“Right, sorry. I didn’t even think about that.” He didn’t need to specify what. Everyone knew. Minho started to notice what Felix was doing. “I guess I sometimes try to come off as strong and untouchable, and I end up forgetting that we’re all human and we all have our problems. And that it’s ok to let people help me.”

Minho looked down. He didn’t care if the others noticed him acting weird. He knew what Felix was doing.

Felix was way more perceptive than people gave him credit for, and he might be the most innocent person Minho had always met, but he was also very empathic, and he knew how to deal with situations in ways Minho would never think of.

“Lix. Is there something you want to tell us? Is everything ok?”

Came Chan’s worried voice. Before Felix could answer, Minho spoke up.

“He’s fine. He… he didn’t have a nightmare last night.”

The group’s attention shifted to Minho, and the boy knew there was no going back now. He regretted it a bit.

“What?”

Asked Woojin, expressing everyone’s confusion.

“He didn’t… I…” Minho swallowed the lump on his throat, and then looked at each and every one of his friends. He sighed. “I had a nightmare last night. Lix helped me. I… I always have nightmares.”

The confession didn’t eliminate the fear of being a burden, but it certainly took a huge weight off Minho’s shoulder, and if he had known how good that would feel he would have done it sooner.

He felt a hand on his and looked up. Felix had gotten up and was by his side, smiling at him and holding his hand. A second later there was someone on his lap, clinging to him. Minho wrapped his free arm around Jisung, who he recognized as the person crushing him.

“Hyung, why didn’t you tell us?”

Asked the boy, pouting. Minho shrugged.

“Didn’t want to be a burden.”

He said, looking down.

“I swear to god, you guys…”

That came from Chan. Minho looked up in time to see the boy getting up and pulling his chair next to Minho.

And then Minho – and Jisung, because he was still in Minho’s lap – were pulled into one of Chan’s bear hugs.

“I’m sorry, hyung.”

Mumbled Minho. He could feel Chan shaking his head.

“I can’t exactly talk about you when I didn’t tell you guys about my problems, either. But just know that you can count on us for everything. Ok?”

Minho felt a smile tugging on his lips. He nodded.

 

“Do you have nightmares every night, hyung?”

Asked Hyunjin, once they were in the van. They had finished breakfast quickly after Minho admitted his problem, and then had left to get their things. There hadn’t been much space for questions, but now there was.

“Not really. More like every other night.”

Hyunjin hummed.

“Do you know why?”

Minho shrugged.

“Sometimes I do. Sometimes it’s random.”

He didn’t feel too comfortable talking about this, because it involved exposing other issues he had, and he would end up telling them about those later, but only when he was ready.

“Is there anything we can do to help, hyung?”

Asked Jeongin. Minho shook his head.

“Not re…” he stopped, his mind bringing back the fact that cuddling with the others did keep the nightmares away. “Not really?”

He finished, unsure. Of course the others noticed.

“You don’t seem too sure.”

Said Chan. Minho considered his options, and then decided he had nothing to lose. Jeongin asked Hyunjin to tuck him in. Jisung had a pacifier. Hyunjin needed pull-ups to bed. And he needed cuddles or a comfort blanket. Nothing wrong with that.

That’s what he repeated in his head a few times, before shrugging, as if he wasn’t making a major effort to tell the others.

“Well, cuddling helps me a bit.”

He said. It came out weaker and less nonchalant than he wanted it to, but at least he got it out. Chan immediately beamed at him.

“Ah, we can definitely take care of that!”

He said, and everyone laughed. It was well known that Chan was clingy. He took any and every opportunity he got to hug or cuddle the others. Minho snorted.

“Oh god, what did I just do?”

He said, but there was no bite to it. The others laughed.

“Seriously, though, if it helps you we can try that.”

Minho smiled.

“We can, but… well, our beds aren’t exactly big, hyung. I can’t share my bed every night.”

He said. When he and Jisung started dating, they had shared a bed for four nights in a row, before coming to the conclusion that they would soon get back problems if they kept that up. And so they allowed themselves one night together each week. So Minho knew that solution wasn’t the best. Chan deflated. Hyunjin squeezed Minho’s hand.

“Well… anything else, hyung?”

Minho blushed, but nodded.

“I, uhn… I used to have a blanket. My baby blanket, actually. It helped me calm down and go back to sleep when I woke up from a nightmare.”

It didn’t stop the nightmares, but it helped Minho relax and go back to sleep, and that was what mattered the most. Chan smiled again.

“Then you should get that!”

He said. Minho grimaced.

“My dad threw it away. He said I was too old for that.”

He said. He didn’t like to remember that day. Jeongin made a noise at the back of his throat, sounding angry. Hyunjin huffed and mumbled something that sounded a lot like ‘freaking jerk’ while pouting. Minho was tempted to laugh, because only Hyunjin could make cussing look that cute.

“We can get you a new one?”

Minho sighed.

“I don’t think it would work.”

He said. Chan pouted.

“We will find a way, hyung.”

Came Jeongin’s voice. Minho smiled.

“Having you guys already helps a lot.”

Said Minho, and that was cheesy and so not him, but it was sincere.

Chan cooed and pulled Minho into a bone-crushing hug. Minho laughed and hugged back.

 

They were back at the dorms, and Chan had told the others who had been in the other car about Minho’s tactics to deal with his nightmares. As soon as he finished, Changbin jumped up, smiling.

“Wait here!”

He said, and then rushed out of the room. He came back a while later, carrying a piece of fabric. He handed it to Minho. The older took it.

“My mom made it for me when I was born. It’s really soft and warm.”

He said. Minho took a closer look, and a smile lit his face. It was a blanket. A small blanket, that would probably barely cover Changbin, let alone Minho. It was green with little frogs all over it, and it was adorable. He looked up at Changbin, who had an eyebrow raised expectantly.

“I… are you giving it to me?”

Changbin snorted.

“No, hyung, just decided to show you.”

Minho snorted and shoved Changbin away, making the younger fall down and everyone laugh.

“So kind of you.”

He said, laughing. Changbin chuckled.

“Of course I’m giving it to you. It’s not your blanket, but it can help.”

Minho smiled.

“Thank, Binnie.”

Changbin rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

He said, and moved back to cuddle with Felix, but there was a fond smile on his lips.

“And when you have a nightmare and can’t go back to sleep, come get one of us.”

Said Woojin, as Minho folded his newly acquired blanket.

“Yeah, hyung, you can come to us whenever you need.”

Said Seungmin, smiling softly.

Minho felt his heart swelling with fondness. God, he loved those boys so much.

“You bunch of assholes, you’re going to make me cry.”

He complained, looking up to stop the tears.

All of the others cooed, half teasing and half genuine, and a second later Minho was buried beneath them, with someone – most likely Jisung and maybe Chan too – pressing kisses to his cheek.

“Hyung, you’re so soft.”

Came Jeongin’s voice, and Minho shoved someone in that direction, although he was pretty sure he’d hit Felix and not the maknae.

“Shut up, I’m a though guy.”

Everyone laughed once more.

“Yeah, and Changbin hyung is dark.”

Came Jisung’s voice, and then an ‘ouch’ from Felix.

“Can you guys stop punching me when trying to punch other people?”

Came the boy’s complaint, and they all dissolved in giggles.

 

When they all silently decided to sleep together in the living room that night, Chan said nothing about needing to be well on the next day and needing a proper night of sleep. He reminded Jisung, Changbin and Hyunjin to get their things, and settled on the floor, next to Woojin.

Jeongin and Seungmin cuddled up to each other, next to where Chan was using Woojin as a human pillow. They parted when Hyunjin got back and let the boy settle between them, because that’s how they worked.

Changbin and Felix cuddled against each other leaving some space between them and the others, and it always amazed Minho how tiny those two looked even when they were a mess of limbs. And then Jisung entered the room, pacifier in his mouth, and pulled Minho down to lie between the Changlix couple and the others. Immediately they were squished against each other – not that Minho was complaining – and Minho chuckled.

He felt safe like that, with the others around him. He felt as if he could face all of his fears if he had those eight boys with him. They were his family, and they made him invincible, and even his nightmares couldn’t take that away from him.

And as Jisung lay his head on his chest, mumbling out a little ‘goodnight, hyung’ to him, Minho closed his eyes and pulled him closer, knowing he wouldn’t be having as many problems with nightmares anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think??? I love reading your comments ^.^
> 
> Only Lix's story to go now!!!


End file.
